Overreacting maybe just a little?
by Winterfell's Vengeful Get
Summary: Maybe Clarisse was overreacting, maybe just a little, but the very thought of Annabeth going into the Labyrinth was unbearable. it was either Annabeth's hate, or Annabeth's insanity that Clarisse would see and Clarisse prefers Annabeth's hate. Takes place before "Nightmare," and during "Battle of the Labyrinth" Clarisse goes a bit over the line to extreme.


Disclaimer: Do not own Percy Jackson

Summary: What would Clarisse do to keep Annabeth safe? And will Annabeth forgive her afterwards? Takes place during "Battle at the Labyrinth" Annabeth and Clarisse are a little older in this. They're both seventeen here as opposed to fifteen, (felt more appropriate since they're lovers in this fic)

**Overreacting maybe just a little?**

"No." The angry word had been breathed out, rather, it had been gasped out really by the muscled brunette. She was not hearing this. She knew that Annabeth had a tendency to follow Percy and Grover in no matter what the dangerous situation. Percy and Annabeth were close, Clarisse would hesitate to admit, but it was a fact that they sometimes could be inseparable.

So honestly, it shouldn't have been a surprise at all to Clarisse that Annabeth was practically throwing herself into the mission that was offered to go into the Labyrinth. Clarisse knew the legend of the Labyrinth just like everyone else in the camp. The Labyrinth that had been constructed by Daedalus, the son of Athena to imprison the Minotaur under King Minos's command, had escaped with his own son, Icarus who died as a result of his foolishness, and now it seemed as if he was back or at least a shadow of him was back.

Percy, Grover and Tyson were going into the hellish maze, and naturally, Annabeth wanted to help them. Well, actually she wanted to prove herself like everyone else did-Clarisse wasn't foolish. Almost everyone in the camp only cared about their own glory. She loved her brothers and sisters, but held no illusions about her family's need for the spotlight and their warrior father's praise.

Clarisse's lover was no different, no matter how much Annabeth were to claim otherwise.

Clarisse's stomach turned at the thought of Annabeth going into the labyrinth though. She saw what that place did to Chris Rodriguez. The daughter of Ares's mind went back to that whimpering, sobbing mass being held protectively in the Hermes Cabin. The very notion that Annabeth was going into the same horrific place that drove Chris mad made cold fear shoot through Clarisse's body like shards of ice.

All Clarisse knew was that the moment Annabeth volunteered to go with the three boys to the endless, perilous maze, the daughter of Ares had a vision of Annabeth curled up in a fetal position, bawling like a baby, crying out about illusions and blabbering about family members from long ago like Chris had. Clarisse's blood froze and it took everything that the warrior had not to reach out, grab Annabeth, holding the blonde captive and not letting her go, commanding in a quivering voice, "You're not going anywhere!"

Yes, Clarisse knew that that was probably an extreme reaction, but she also knew what had a very good chance of happening to her Annabeth if she didn't stop her partner from going into that awful place.

And that was when the child of the god of war made her decision.

She knew that it was likely that Annabeth would never forgive her. She'd never stop being angry at Clarisse, more than likely. Clarisse didn't like that thought at all, but then, since when was Annabeth not angry at her? Besides, she'd rather Annabeth hate her for the rest of their lives rather than watch her dear Annabeth sob and cry out insane ramblings in desperation of salvation for even a moment.

This was also why an hour later, Annabeth had been tied up in the Ares Cabin with Clarisse sitting by the foot of the bed glancing at the now quite furious Annabeth who was glaring at her and struggling against the bonds tied around her waist, arms and chest and legs.

"Hades, Clarisse!" the blonde snarled, grey eyes filled with rage, "What is wrong with you?! Don't answer that; I'm guessing lots of things. Untie me now, you savage!"

Clarisse just stared. No emotion entering her eyes. She reached out, her right hand trying to brush against the other girl's face gently, but the blonde turned away, scowling. "Don't you dare!" the daughter of Athena spat, "Percy, Grover and Tyson need my help! If you don't let me go now-"

Clarisse cut Annabeth off, "I don't know if they need you. I don't care honestly. I do know that I need you. Do you want to end up like Chris? You know what he was like when he got out of the Labyrinth; I told you. Are you so arrogant that you think you'll be immune to its effects?"

Now Annabeth was paying attention. She stared at the brunette, who was now looking out the window of the cabin at the Hermes Cabin outside.

"Is that what this is about?!" Annabeth demanded, struggling against the ropes harder, "Clarisse, I can handle it! I'll have Percy, Grover and Tyson with me! Let me out!"

Clarisse grumbled, "See, that's what you think. Annabeth, you have the same Fatal Flaw that all children of Athena have. Pride."

"And you're one to talk?!" Annabeth snapped, trying to kick her bound legs into Clarisse's side; the daughter of Ares easily scooted back a little, putting enough distance between her and the smaller demigod so that Annabeth's feet weren't touching her at all.

"I'm proud," Clarisse shrugged, "But I know what I saw Anna. I saw Chris. I know what that Labyrinth does to people. If this were anything else, even Cyclops or spiders, I'd probably have faith in you, but I can't…..," Clarisse's voice almost faltered, forcing Annabeth to fixate her confused eyes on her lover.

Clarisse stared at her girlfriend, dark eyes glimmering with dread, "I just can't…..if you….the very thought that you'll be affected by the Labyrinth like Chris was…..I just can't….." Annabeth stared as Clarisse got off the bed and walked towards the front door of the cabin. She saw two boys standing near the door.

"Sherman, Mark," Clarisse said darkly, "Just make sure she isn't able to get out. I'm going out and checking to see if anyone's looking for her."

Clarisse left, her two brothers glancing behind them at the tied up Annabeth.

"Should we let her go?" Mark asked, glancing at his brother, "You know the sea spawn, the Cyclops and Grover wanted her to come with them."

"Are you kidding me?" Sherman laughed, though he looked pale when he demanded an answer, "I don't want Clarisse to kill us. You know how protective she is of her girl. Anyway, waterboy, goatboy and one eye already left. Clarisse told them some lie that Athena called Annabeth away for something."

Dread ran through Annabeth's system when she heard that, eyes going wide. No…the three boys had heard a lie like that and believed it? Well, she supposed she shouldn't be surprised that Tyson or even Grover believed it, but she'd have thought that Percy was a better judge of whether someone was lying or not. Then again, she knew her Clarisse. Clarisse was a good liar.

As she watched Sherman and Mark turn away from her, she hissed, angry but resigned to the realization that she wasn't going to escape. At least not because she would be released any time soon. She laid her head down on the pillow, inhaling Clarisse's scent. She stared as at the wall, any strength she might have previously possessed gone. Her mind replayed what she had just seen and heard. Clarisse's blank, yet grim expression, the odd neutral and hideously dead tone of her voice. Truthfully, it scared Annabeth. She shuddered as she thought of the lack of emotion that Clarisse showed.

That was the last thing one would ever imagine from a child of Ares, much less Clarisse La Rue of all people. No emotion.

That was one of the many things that attracted Annabeth to Clarisse as well as made her completely fall in love with the other warrior. It was Clarisse's passion, the other woman's drive and intensity that called to Annabeth-a drive, passion and force that rivaled her own really. To see such a lack of that drive was honestly….disturbing. It had been like looking at a blank statue-one of those cold faced marble statues that she had seen in museums, portraying her mother, grandfather, uncles and aunts-only with Clarisse, she was one with no expression-just made to pose and stare.

Annabeth felt a little creeped out at the thought. She remembered what Clarisse said about Chris. She hadn't seen the son of Hermes, but she knew her lover had. What could Chris possibly be like for Clarisse to react like this? Annabeth was even more unsettled by the chill the question sent through her.

Clarisse stalked around the cabins. She got close to the Poseidon cabin. She glowered at the structure encrusted with seashells, stones and sand. As much as she wanted to punch Percy Jackson half the time, she had to give the guy some respect. Not respect because the young man had saved Olympus or survived Circe's Island and Polyphemus, or because he had gone up against Atlas, Luke and his goons, no; but respect because he had earned Annabeth's trust and obvious friendship and camaraderie. A certain begrudging respect because even though she was the one that made love to Annabeth every night she could and was the one that Annabeth shared her darkest secrets with, Annabeth would fight no matter what to fight side by side, shoulder to shoulder with Percy against their enemies. For that alone, though she envied the little shit (and would never admit it) the dumb sea spawn deserved some kind of respect.

"You take care, Jackson." She mumbled numbly, "Cause Annabeth's not gonna be there this time. Sorry, Jackson, but I need her more than you do."

It wasn't that Clarisse was afraid of Annabeth dying. No, she, Annabeth and every other demigod in existence experienced the threat of that every day, and though the thought of losing Annabeth like that terrified Clarisse every now and then, she could more or less bear it. The thought of Annabeth becoming insane? Annabeth losing her mind? That, Clarisse _couldn't _bear, even at her strongest.

She didn't want to think about the possibility of Percy, Grover or Tyson not coming back or becoming as insane as Chris was, but better them than Annabeth. So was this perhaps an extreme overreaction? Certainly. She didn't like the possibility of Annabeth never forgiving her and hating her forever either, but better that than Annabeth being a candidate for a mental hospital like Chris currently was.

**Okay, yes I know that that was a very strong overreaction on Clarisse's part, but really, imagining a loved one going off into some place like that Labyrinth that literally drives people crazy? Just think about that for a few minutes before judging Clarisse too harshly.**


End file.
